Comeragh Rangers leave Tipperary champions in the shade to advance to Munster final

Munster LGFA Club Championship Senior Plate semi-final

COMERAGH RANGERS 3-9 CLONMEL COMMERCIALS 0-6

Clonmel Commercials took on Comeragh Rangers (Rathgormack) in the Munster Senior B semi-final in Fethard Town Park on Sunday last, which was a rematch of the 2022 Munster Senior B final which saw the Rathgormack ladies crowned provincial champions on a dirty wet day at Clonmel Sportsfield.

Hoping to book a place in this year’s Munster final, Commercials were first on the scoreboard with a fine point from Sarah Ryan after just 33 seconds.

While the Tipperary representatives had a lot of the ball in the opening minutes they were finding it difficult to break down a well organised blanket defence orchestrated by Áine Power at centre back and Trish Kelly at full back.

In the sixth minute corner forward Aoibhe Shankey opened the scoring for Comeragh Rangers with a well-taken point from play and four minutes later full-forward Kaci Brazil added a second after Commercials were deemed to have fouled just outside the 20 metre line.

Commercials were turning over a little too much ball at this stage and their goalkeeper Meadhbh O’Loughlin had to pull off a great save with Katie Murray of Comeragh Rangers bearing down on her.

Katie, however, was not to be deterred and after a poorly struck Commercials free out from their own 13 metre line, she pounced to take an opportune goal. Four minutes later the same player struck again with another goal after quick ball supplied by Emma Murray.

Commercials needed to respond and they rallied with two fine points from Ava Fennessy who was full of energy and looked really dangerous attacking from the 45 metre line. Shauna Dunphy, wearing 17 for Comeragh, was playing well down the right hand side. O’Loughlin was kept busy in the Commercials goal and in the 26th minute Ava Fennessy struck a mighty point from the right side which lifted the large vocal Commercials following in the stand.

Comeragh Rangers' Katie Murray gets away from her opponents during Sunday's game in Fethard Town Park. Pic: Vincent Flynn.

Commercials corner-forward Sarah Ryan was working hard probing the Comeragh defence and despite taking a hard knock she dusted herself off and managed to score another fine point before the referee called a halt to the first half.
Comeragh Rangers, who many consider were very unlucky to lose a thrilling Waterford county final to Ballymacarbry, went into the dressingrooms leading by four points, 2-3 to 0-5.

All to play for in the second half, Commercials Sarah Ryan continued from where she left off and at the opening of the second half was denied a goal by corner-back Cora Murray who managed to scoop the ball off the line as the Commercials crowd were beginning to rise to their feet.

With the wind now at her back for the second half, Comeragh Rangers free taker, Kaci Brazil, took full advantage kicking three frees in succession within the opening 10 minutes to stretch the Waterford’s side advantage out to seven.

Commercials were now struggling to make any inroads against a well organised Comeragh defence who were quick to attack turnover ball and on the 20 minute mark their centre-back Áine Power finished off one such attack with a fine point from just inside the D.

Katie Murray struck a minute later with another point and things were starting to look ominous for the Clonmel ladies.
Both sides started to make some substitutions and with the clock reading 30 minutes and 10 seconds, Comeragh rattled the net one last time with a well-struck shot by Emma Power.

Comeragh Rangers, who looked a much improved side from their 2022 win against the same opposition, now advance to the Munster final v Southern Gaels (Kerry) in Mallow on Saturday, November 11 at 12.45 pm.